Intellectual Outputs

The objective of this first output is to create a Qualification Assurance Framework based on the principles of the European tools addressing the transparency of qualifications and competences acquired especially at the workplace or through different learning pathways. In this way, the two vital elements of the project e.g. -the IT Training Course, the Qualification Standard for Laboratory Technicians and its EQF level reference, will be validated based on the use of the ECVET System recommendations. ECVET-Lab project aims to offer a transnational answer to a training need observed at EU level. Also, to guarantee the transnational value of this project, it is fundamental to start this initiative by developing an instrument which will ensure the EU dimension of the course, not by further equivalence work but rather thanks to a roots work made from the very beginning of the non-formal C-VET development. This transnational recognition will be reached thanks to the common preliminary work done by partners during the project proposal stage on training needs, but also request the establishment of common EU level principles and framework.

The idea behind this output is thus to provide a specific but transferable tool, the Qualification Assurance Framework, which will guide the partners in the future integration of the ECVET-Lab course in their national qualification programmes, fostering a wider use of the ECVET system and other EU recognition tools in C-VET.

This output will be a first step to the ECVET-Lab course development, but it is also envisaged as a generic tool that could be applied to other fields in the future. Indeed, this output will propose a framework that can be used for the design of any C-VET course in the partner countries, by setting the principles according to which the continuous vocational training should be designed.

This Output of the project will be dedicated in collecting Good Sustainable Practices that Laboratories of Environmental Testing and Science follow. This is an essential stage for the determination of the Qualification Standard/Competence Profile as the latter will include all duties and responsibilities a sustainably aware Laboratory Technician should have in order to carry out good environmental practices in the workplace.

Partners will seek for best practices regarding the sustainable technologies and processes in the laboratories. It means that they will look at technical innovation, technician sustainable behavior on the workplace, the implementation of sustainable processes by the laboratory management team and the role of managers to support the adoption of sustainable practices by the technician, among others. Some topics for the best practices will be:

The good practices will come from both environmental laboratories and other types of laboratories, given that they are transferable to the environmental testing laboratories.

The final delivery of this output will be the edition and publication of a Best Practice guide.

This guide will be further widely disseminated to different target groups: the C-VET providers for environmental testing laboratories technician, the trained laboratory technician, the managers of environmental laboratories, but also public authorities and institution for a wider impact over time in the EU policies.

The objective of the third Intellectual Output is to develop and establish a Qualification Standard/ Competence Profile for Environmental Testing and Sciences Laboratory Technicians and the Training Course Modules divided into Learning Outcomes units. Under the term Qualification Standard we include the term of Competence Profile; because in many countries the term Competence Profile is used to refer to a Qualification Standard.

The Qualification Standard will describe thoroughly the minimum knowledge, skills and competences that are necessary for a person to have in order to work in the field of Laboratories of Environmental Sciences fulfilling the established criteria for sustainable management of the sector. The content of learning outcomes will derive from the work previously done in Outputs 1 and 2. More precisely, the ECVET Quality Assurance Framework established during Output 1 and the ECVET – Lab Guide of Good Sustainability Practices published during Output 2 will form the two pillars of this Qualification Standard.

The fourth Intellectual Output is the stage of development of the project´s IT tool that will include the training course´s interactive modular curriculum and the Progress Evaluation Tests, already agreed and determined during the third Intellectual Output. The Activity Leading Organisation, MMC, specializing in this exact field of IT tools development will coordinate the tasks performed by the participating partners which will be NOVOTEC, Nireas – IWRC, ITeE-PIB and 3s. The final objective of this Open Educational Resource is to create a highly interactive online platform where laboratory technicians will be trained in accordance with their status of Skills, Knowledge and Competences.

The main target for this course will be technicians from environmental testing laboratories during the project implementation, but this target will progressively increase as ECVET-Lab intend to address larger target groups and sectors in the future.

The development of the innovative IT tools reflects the two pillars of the project which are firstly the promotion of sustainability issues and environmental awareness of Environmental Testing Laboratories and secondly the validation of non-formal and informal work-based learning using the European recognition tools. For this exact reason, the platform will be structured in such way in order for it to comply with the agreed standards, same or equivalent to formal education qualifications as stated in the European Council´s Recommendation of the 20th of December 2012 for the validation of non-formal and informal learning.

The course will be produced in English, Spanish, Greek and Polish. All the partners will perform the following three tasks described below whereas the first and second will run simultaneously.

A major focus of this output will be made on quality as reflected in the methodology used to issue the final version of the course. Partners will create the course progressively, and will involve external contributors to review the materials, then they will correct/improve/adapt the course following their recommendation, check, and finally edit. The course will thus be reviewed by the target group, the Environmental Laboratory technicians, who will provide feedback and recommendation that will be collected by partners and taken into account for the edition of the final version of the course. About 100-150 volunteering professionals will participate to this project activity, in order to reach a strong guarantee of quality.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. The ECVET-Lab project reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.